Wind driven propeller for boats



GAL*

May 4, 1954 R, J, ANN|$ 2,677,344

WIND DRIVENPROPELLER FOR BOATS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOVv 19,- 1952 INVENTOR.

ROBERT J ANN IS BY ATTORNEY R. J. ANNls WIND DRIVEN PROPELLER FoR Bons May 4, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1952 INVENToR. ROBERT 1 ANNIS ATTORNEY VvMay 4, 1954 R. J. ANNIS WIND DRIVEN PROPELLER FOR BOATS Filed NOV. 19, 1952 5 Shae-tsfSheet 3 INVENTOR. ROBERT J ANN IS ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1954 UN ITE-D STATE-S AT EN T 0 FFICE WIND DRI'VEN EPROPELLER FOR A'BOATS Robert J. Annis, Portland, Oreg.

Application `November 19, 1952, SeriaiNo.-321,481

This invention :relates .toimprovements Ain sails for boats,I and vis particularly adapted to be used in connection with boats that Yare to be propelled by the winds.

The primary object of the invention is to construct a wind driven reaction turbine sail that will drive a propeller by the power of .the wind.

Another object of the .invention is .to vconstruct a sail that -is-.co-n-ned within avery close area to the mast ofthe boat, but :still yproviding the .1

greatest amount of sail reactionto the wind.

A still -iurther -object .of the invention is to spread or furl the sailby the power Iof the wind in addition to manual control.

Another object of my new and improved turbine sail construction is that anyone with a limited experience can operate Ithesame` Another object of the invention is that the boat can be propelled in ,any .desired direction with complete control regardless of wind direcnon.

With my new vand improved turbine sai-l construction sudden -changes in the .direction .of the wind has no .eiect lon the vpropulsion of the boat.

Further, any pitching ofthe boatinrough fwater tends toadd vto the propelling ofthe ,boatb-y the action-of myfsaiL which in the `caseoi ord-inary sails, propelling power -is lost.

These and other incidental-.objects will beapparent in the drawings, specificationvandclaims.

Referring to the .drawings-t Eigure l is a plan .view koi my new .and improved turbine sail mounted toa boat.

Figure 2 is a side View of Figure .l ,part Vof vthe boat broken away for convenience Y,of illustration.

Figure 3 is anenlargeddetail .view of the mast and sail construction, parts broken away forcenvenience of illustration.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail Yof one of the .tips of the spider-like tubular curved spars, .parts broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure `5 is an eniarged .plan ,sectional view, taken Von line '5-5 of FigureB.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail fragmentary sectional view, taken on `line Yi-f-fi .of Figure .5.

Figure '7 is aplanvsectional view, taken lonline Yl---l of .Figure 3, illustrating .the method eof .attaehing the sails to .the Alowerpart ,of -the mast.

Figure 8 is 'the sameasfEigure 6, except that the driving VLmechanism .for .Spreading the sail f or furling the same isshownginioperatingyposition.

`lteferring more :specica-l'ly to the drawings:

My Ynew vand. iimproved reacti'on turbine :sails for 'boats consistsof a mast I :rotatably mounted to .thehull l2 oi the boat by a stationary stub mast 3 by way of y.the bearings 4 and 5. The bearing 5 supports ythe weight of the rmast upon :the 'shoulder 6 of .the stub umast as best illustrated in .Figure .3. Eixedly ,secured to the .top of themast are multiple .spars I. Each of the spars :are .Curved pas shown in Figure 1 ,to form the aerofoil ioi -the sail.

will now describe how the sails are rigged. .to the spararins andzto the mast. The sails are indicated by numeral p8, These sailsare formed in .a somewhat triangle shape, the top of the sail eing the ,base of the triangle, the top of the sail .is secured tothe spar arms by the rings vil by the ropes 1.9, wghichare sewed between a double sail cloth coming to a point at the apex of the tri- .angle at il, .at .which-point `the ropes terminate in a rspecial .fitting .or clew l2. .This clew or tting lis then connected to .the mast iby the segmented .clamp ring i3, by clamping the clew between the ,ears i4 of the said rings by -way of the .bolt i5.

My sail is controlled in regards to furling or f yugr-riu-rl-ing Aby ,the `ropes J6, which are trained .about pulleys i 7 journalled rwithin .the-outer .ends vof the -spars by way ofthe spindles I8 and the :pulleys di! and -2-0, which ,are journalled within :the hu-b of 'the spar arms, .as lbest .illustrated in Figures 3 ,and 4. Extending .downwardly from the upper runs 2i of the ropes l5 and over the -:pulleys le 4are .the ropes 21A which Yterminate in aiitting-or'bridle 22. This .bridle is connected to -a compensating spring 2.3, which in Aturn `yis .connected .to the rope f2.4, .which is wound .about the Winding drum 25.

The ilower vrun Stn `.of v`the ,rope I6 is brought aboutthepulleys ,20 into-.the run ISB =to the fit- .ting Ior `Abridle v,2l dtieing into the rope Y24. The compensating spring 23 keeps the upperandlower run of the rope i6 in a :tautTcondition at yall times. The 4sailis connected to this rope, `asbest .illustrated in Figure el, wherein the .outermost ning 9A is :connected -to ,the vsame wherein the ,ropefmay pass through an yeye 28 and fknottedor .otherwise secured thereto. The innermost Aring `8351s xedly connected to vthe spar by ,a suitable rclamp 4,29.

TheI drum '25 is :keyed to the: shaft ,3 which is journalled within the bearings .3748. 'Ihe Vshaft 35i Vis :rotated iin =.either '.,direction 4'by :the friction I.itrlfieels 32, which ,are keyed to the. same .as indicated Vat 33. -Affbrakeshoe -34 in the @formera disk, forms Apart `of 1the=splined :hub '35. The splines 136 -of the vhub cooperate with r`t-he splines 31 formed on the extension of the bearings 30, forming part of the mast, thereby preventing the brake shoe from revolving.

The spring 38 bears against the shoulder 39 of the hub 35 and maintains the brake surface 45 of the brake shoe against the inner surface 4I of the friction wheel 32, preventing the same from turning when the sail is either furled or unfurled, holding the same in either position.

The drum 25 is caused to rotate in either direction by the friction wheels 32. A non-rotating drum 42 is slidably mounted to the mast I as best illustrated in Figures 3, 6 and 8, and is prevented from rotation by the spline-way I3 located within the upper end of the stub mast 3. The drum 42 has a friction surface I4 at its top and a friction surface 45 at its bottom, which is adapted to contact the friction surface I6 of the friction wheels 32 in the following manner.

A lever 4l is pivotally mounted to the upper end of the stub mast at 48 and extends inwardly to the socket 49 formed within the hub 55 of the drum 42. Slidably mounted within the end of the shaft 3! is a plunger or push rod 5 I. The outer end 52 of the said push rod is adapted to cooperate with the annular sloping surfaces 53 and 54, encircling the inner wall of the drum.

A cross pin 55 passes through the push rod adjacent its inner end, passing through slots 55 formed within the end of the shaft 3I. The eX- tremities of the cross pin 55 engage the shoulder 51 formed within the hub 35 of the brake shoe 35. When the plunger is forced inwardly the cross pin 55 forces the brake shoe away from the inner surface 4I of the friction wheel 32, releasing the same and permitting the same to be rotated.

When the lever il is operated to either raise or lower the drum L52, either the sloping surface 53 or 54 will release the brake shoe as above described, but at the same time either the friction surfaces ed or 55 of the drum will contact the friction surface 45 of the friction wheel 32 and as the mast is being rotated by the sail, the friction wheels will be rotated due to the fact that they are being revolved about with the mast I, and the drum 42 is being held stationary by the stub mast 3. This in turn will revolve the drum 25 reeling and unreeling the rope 2li, pulling in the rope I6 in a direction to either furl or unfurl the sail.

In the event it is desired to rotate the drum 25 by hand, slots or openings 58 are formed parallel to the cam surfaces 53 so that a crank 59, illustrated by broken lines, can be inserted into the squared socket formed in the outer end of the plunger or push rod as best illustrated in Figure 6. By slightly pushing in on the crank when applying the same, the brake shoe can be released, permitting the crank to rotate the drum 25.

As the mast I is revolved it drives the propeller 60 from a reversible transmission SI, of any suitable design. A driving shaft 62 is keyed to the lower end 63 of the mast I and is journalled within the bearing 64 of the transmission 6I. As the mast I is revolved, always in one direction, the shaft 62 transmits this power into the transmission 6I, which will be set to drive the boat either forward or backward.

I will now describe the operation of my new and improved reaction turbine sails for boats. Referring to Figure l, we will assume the direction of the wind is in the direction of the arrows. The wind striking the concave surface of and 54 within the drum the sail 65 will rotate the mast clockwise. The wind striking the convex surface of the sail 66 Will tend to deflect from the same, allowing the much greater force or pressure developed within the concave surface of the sail 65 to rotate the mast. The wind being trapped within the concave surface of the sail 55 will tend to escape past the mast into the concave surface of the sail 55, causing a reactive power or push behind the said sail 66 from the wind deflected from the sail 55, assisting in the rotation of the mast.

I will now describe the furling and unfurling of the sails. When the lever il is lowered it will raise the drum 42, causing the friction surface 3:5 to engage the friction wheel 32, revolving the Sarne in a direction to wind the rope 24 in a drection to pull the bridle or fitting 21 towards the drum, together with the cables ISB, pulling the lower run IGA of the cables or ropes I6 towards the mast, together with the sail supporting ring 9A, thereby fui-ling the sail. The power of rotation of the mast, of course, transmitting the rotating power to the drum 25.

When it is desired to unfurl the sail, the lever lil' is raised causing the friction surface 44 of the drum 42 to rotate the friction wheel 32 in a direction to revolve the drum 25 so as to wind the cable or rope 24 in a direction to pull the cables 2 IA and the upper run 2I of the ropes I6 towards the mast over the pulley Il, pulling the lower run ISA towards thel pulley I'I and outer end of the spar together with the ring 9A and sail to the position illustrated in the drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.

When the sail has either been furled or unfurled, the lever lil' is brought to a neutral position as illustrated in Figure 3. This allows the push rod 52 to enter between the cam surfaces 55 or 5G, allowing the spring 38 to apply the brake shoe 35 to the friction wheel surface 4I of the friction wheel 32, locking the same and preventing the drum 25 from rotating, thereby holding the sail either in furled or unfurled position.

The forcing of the end 52 of the push rod 5I into the position illustrated, referring to Figure 6, holds the drum 42 in a neutral position or its friction surfaces M and 45 away from the friction drum 32 so that as the sail is being revolved, driving the propeller 5I), there will be no rotation transmitted into the drum 25 until the lever el is operated, as above described.

In the event that the mast is not in rotation, and it is desired to furl or unfurl the sail, a crank indicated by broken lines 59, is inserted into the end of the push rod 5I through one of the openings 58. The operator forces the rod inwardly, releasing the brake, then revolving the shaft 3l by the crank, together with the drum 25, furling or unfurling the sail.

What I claim is:

1. A boat comprising a hull, a mast structure rotatably mounted on said hull, a propeller jour nailed on said hull and drivingly connected with said mast structure, radially disposed arms on said mast structure, sails slidably supported by said arms to be retracted against said mast structure when not in use and to be extended during use to form rotor blades for rotating said mast structure to drive said propeller, a drum journalled on said mast structure, two lines attached to the outer edge portions of each of said sails and trained along said arms and said mast structure and wound on said drum, a drive wheel fixed with said drum, a pair of relatively fixed non-rotatable anges slidably mounted on opposite sides or said wheel, and means for sliding said anges to engage one of said flanges with said Wheel to drive said wheel by rotation of said wheel with said mast structure. Q

2. A boat as defined in claim 1 comprising means for releasably holding said wheel against rotation, and cam means on said anges for releasing said holding means when said flanges are moved into engagement with said Wheel.

3. A boat as dened in claim 2 wherein a crank is insertable between said flanges for releasing said holding means and manually driving said wheel.

4. A boat as defined in claim 3 wherein the lines from each of said sails are respectively connected to a pair of bridles, and a single line is Wound on said drum and connected at its ends to said bridles, one end of said drum line being connected to its bridle by a resilient member to maintain said lines under tension.

5. A boat as defined in claim 4 wherein said arms and mast structure are hollow and said drum is journalled within said mast structure 6 with said lines extending through said arms and mast structure.

6. A boat as defined in claim 5 wherein said sails are triangular and have one base of the triangle disposed along said mast structure with the other base of the triangle slidable along said arms, the lower apices of said sails being secured to said mast structure.

7. A boat as defined in claim 6 wherein said arms are arcuate to form said sails as arcuate blades.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 556,396 Auld Mar. 17, 1896 1,178,665 Muller Apr. 11, 1916 1,602,853 Maher Oct. 12, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,562 Great Britain of 1910 

